Written Answers Wednesday 6 June 2007

Scottish Executive

Biodiversity

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ guidance on the biodiversity duty under section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 and whether it intends to issue any parallel guidance in relation to the biodiversity duty under section 1 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.

Michael Russell: I am aware of the guidance launched by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to support public authorities in England and Wales implementing the biodiversity duty brought in under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006.

  Public bodies in Scotland have been subject to a biodiversity duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 since 1 January 2005. This duty requires public bodies in Scotland to "further" biodiversity conservation in carrying out their functions, in contrast to the duty in England and Wales which requires public bodies to "have regard to" biodiversity conservation. The Scottish Executive produced web-based guidance in 2005 to promote the duty and to help public bodies in Scotland implement the duty. This guidance is kept under review to ensure that it meets the requirements of users. I will be looking with interest at the guidance issued by Defra, and other examples of good practice.

  The Scottish Biodiversity duty guidance can be accessed at:

  http://www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk/pageType2.php?id=19&type=2&navID=59.

  In addition to this guidance, the Executive and its agencies supports a range of initiatives to encourage public bodies to improve their environmental performance, including an annual report on the progress of public bodies.

Bridges

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to abolish toll charges on the Tay Road Bridge.

Stewart Stevenson: As I stated during the parliamentary debate on bridge tolls on 31 May 2007, we intend to bring forward legislation in September that will end tolls on the Forth and Tay Road Bridges. The aim is to abolish tolls by the end of this year.

Business Rates

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the latest estimate is of the cost of introducing its new business rate measures in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

John Swinney: We will bring forward detailed plans for business rates and their associated costs as part of the budget process in late autumn this year.

Cancer

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to direct monies saved by any generic substitution of branded drugs into the provision of drugs for the treatment of cancer, such as Herceptin.

Shona Robison: NHS boards are able to deploy their overall revenue allocations to the best advantage of their local population. This includes any savings resulting from generic prescribing.

Cancer

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of eligible cancer patients in the west of Scotland are being treated with Herceptin; how this compares with other regions of Scotland, and what steps it will take to (a) end any area-based disparity and (b) monitor the outcome of any such action.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on the use of specific drugs in individual patients or patient groups is not held centrally.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 16 ran away from home and (a) were missing for more than 24 hours, (b) were believed to have been physically or sexually abused while away from home, (c) remained missing after seven days and (d) were never found in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Fiona Hyslop: This information is not held centrally.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations of Missing Out – Young Runaways in Scotland it has implemented.

Fiona Hyslop: In response to the recommendations of this report, the Executive has:

  provided substantial additional support to ChildLine and ParentLine;

  funded, on a pilot project basis, the Running Other Choices (ROC) project run by Aberlour Child Care Trust, and

  provided a guidance pack to Child Protection Committees on Vulnerable Children and Young People (July 2003), with the expectation that local authority areas will develop their own protocols to support the guidance, as suits their local circumstances.

  Some of the recommendations in this report were overtaken by the implementation of the three-year Child Protection Reform Programme (2003 to 2006-07) which provided a strengthened national framework, and mechanisms, for local agencies to work together to identify the needs of all children in their area and make appropriate provision to meet these.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources are available for local authorities to safeguard young runaways who are at risk of harm under section 38 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Fiona Hyslop: Specific resources made available by the Executive to local authorities to safeguard young runaways are:

  a guidance pack which issued to Child Protection Committees in July 2003 on vulnerable children and young people which makes recommendations about the care of young runaways,

  funding of £838,661 between 2002 and 2008 from the Youth Crime Prevention Fund in support of Aberlour Child Care Trust’s pilot project, Running Other Choices (ROC), which provides a short-term refuge for young people aged 12 to 15, and

  strengthened Child Protection Committees as an outcome of the recently-concluded three-year Child Protection Reform Programme which is improving multi-agency service provision for this (and other) vulnerable groups of children and young people.

  More generally, local authorities use their GAE provision to support local services as they see fit, and this includes the flexibility to commission or directly provide services for young runaways on the basis of local need.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have taken steps to provide short-term refuges for children and whether it plans to issue guidance to local authorities on this matter.

Fiona Hyslop: The Executive does not have specific plans at present to issue guidance to local authorities on this matter, nor does it hold information centrally about steps taken by local authorities to provide short-term refuge. To address the issue of short-term refuge at a national level, the Executive is funding the Glasgow-based Aberlour Running Other Choices (ROC) project which provides short-term refuge for young people aged 12 to 15 who run away from home or care. This funding support (2002-08) is on a pilot project basis.

  The Executive’s guidance pack on Vulnerable Children and Young People, which was published in July 2003, contains specific recommendations on young runaways. Local authorities are expected to have developed local protocols which give effect to the guidance in ways which best suit their own circumstances.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution.

Fiona Hyslop: Invitations have recently issued to the following organisations for membership of a proposed national working group on young runaways:

  Aberlour Child Care Trust

  Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (ACPOS)

  Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW)

  Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)

  Barnardos

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla)

  The Scottish Coalition for Young Runaways (Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders Child Protection Office (ELBCPO) is the Coalition’s nominee)

  Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA)

  Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC)

  YouthLink Scotland.

  A representative organisation for the Child Protection Committees is being identified, as is a representative for Parenting Across Scotland. Those representatives will be invited shortly.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution has met and what results have emerged from its meetings.

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution last met and what matters were discussed.

Fiona Hyslop: The Working Group on Young Runaways has not met yet. The first meeting is scheduled for 25 June 2007.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are available to local authorities on young runaways under the age of 16.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive’s guidance pack on Vulnerable Children and Young People, which was published in July 2003, contains specific recommendations on young runaways. Local authorities are expected to have developed local protocols which give effect to the guidance in ways which best suit their own circumstances.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has increased the level of investment in helplines for young people, including the provision of funding to allow ChildLine Scotland to increase by up to 60% since 2003 the number of children it helps.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive has recently provided additional funding of £536,300 (over 2007-09) to expand the capacity of Glasgow and Aberdeen Centres and to set up a new base in Edinburgh.

  The Executive has also recently invested in a freephone national telephone and information gateway service which directs the general public to local child protection services when they call to report concerns about a child or young person. This national gateway phone service is intended to complement existing phone-based child protection counselling services.

  The Executive continues to support ChildLine’s Anti-Bullying helpline and the enquire helpline (which provides advice and information on additional support for learning).

  The Know the Score helpline and two other health-related helplines are run on behalf of the Executive by the Department of Health. The Know the Score campaign, which includes the helpline, provides drugs information and advice to young people.

Children and Young People

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ChildLine Scotland has increased the number of children it helps since 2003.

Fiona Hyslop: Yes.

  ChildLine can currently respond to about 60% of the calls it receives. Recent additional Scottish Executive funding will allow ChildLine to expand its current services and increase the response rate to around 80% for this financial year and beyond.

Community Councils

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to devolve budgets and decision-making to community council level.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive will look at what steps are required to give greater responsibilities to community councils.

  With regard to any statutory devolution of budgets and decision-making powers to community councils, the Executive intends to seek the views of Parliament and relevant stakeholders in order to identify any consensus for going forward.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the NHS fee structure for dental treatment.

Shona Robison: Annual increases in dentists’ remuneration are recommended by the independent Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body. A simplification of the fee-scale is also currently being considered with the intention to reduce the current 400+ item of service fees to around 100.

Dentistry

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the development of a managed clinical network in endodontics to enable patients to receive more complex dental care more locally.

Shona Robison: We have commissioned a needs assessment report on endodontics which is expected to report by the end of the year. Following the findings of this report we shall consider the need for a managed clinical network in endodontics.

Dentistry

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to increase the number of NHS dentists in Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Shona Robison: NHS Borders will appoint additional salaried general dental practitioners. There are also a range of financial measures in place to support independent general dental practices who wish to provide NHS dental services.

Dentistry

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to extend access to dentistry in Roxburgh and Berwickshire.

Shona Robison: NHS Borders has committed itself to improving access to NHS dentistry through the expansion of its salaried general dental service, concentrating in the first instance on Hawick and Coldstream.

Dentistry

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional funding to NHS Borders to fund a new full-time NHS dentist for Newcastleton.

Shona Robison: Funding is available through the general dental services budget where NHS boards wish to appoint salaried dentist posts to fill gaps in provision. Whilst NHS Borders has no current plans to establish a full-time dental post in Newcastleton, the board is looking at ways of providing outreach dental facilities to rural communities in its area.

Education

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its policy of inclusion is having on mainstream pupils and whether it will undertake a re-assessment of its policy and, if so, when.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Executive commissioned the Scottish Centre for Research in Education to evaluate the impact of the legislation. Their report, which was published in 2006, found no evidence that mainstreaming has a negative effect on pupil attainment and that, with proper preparation and support, inclusion is beneficial for all.

  We are committed to ensuring that all children receive the support they need in our schools and we will take what steps are necessary to ensure we achieve this. These steps include consideration of an inquiry into the operation and implementation of mainstreaming policy.

Education

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to phase out Standard Grade examinations, in line with action taken in East Renfrewshire and the private sector.

Fiona Hyslop: As part of our manifesto commitment to provide leadership in promoting the Curriculum for Excellence agenda, we will consider how the future qualifications system should be structured to best meet the needs of all Scottish students. This will include consideration of future arrangements at SCQF levels 4 and 5 (Standard Grade Credit and General/Intermediate 1 and 2).

Education

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the reason that applications to fill vacant head teacher posts have declined in recent years and what action it will take to encourage more applications for such vacancies.

Fiona Hyslop: The recruitment of head teachers is a matter for local authorities as employers, however the changing demographics of the teaching profession and the societal expectations of public sector leaders will both have been contributory factors in changing levels of applications for head teacher posts.

  All head teachers and prospective head teachers need to demonstrate they are performing in line with the standard for headship (SfH).). The most common means of demonstrating performance in line with the SfH is via the Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH). The 2006 teacher census shows that there were 310 non head teachers who had gained the SQH compared with 248 in 2005. There were also another 390 on the programme.

  The Scottish Executive provides local authorities with £4 million a year to help teachers achieve the SfH and also funds more general leadership programmes and activities to supplement funding which local authorities target to this area.

Education

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps it will take to improve educational attainment in schools that significantly underperform in terms of academic attainment.

Fiona Hyslop: We are committed to working with education professionals to stretch every child to achieve their full potential and will be considering at an early stage our particular commitment to raising the achievement of the poorest performing 20% of school pupils, with increased intervention and support.

Elections

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on promotional material and items as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the elections on 3 May 2007.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive spent £65,402.00 on promotional material and items as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the elections on 3 May 2007.

  The promotional items listed were only a small part of the marketing communications about the election. The VoteScotland campaign, which was funded jointly by the Electoral Commission, had a budget of £2 million. The full range of activities included advertising, marketing, media relations, PR, online, field marketing, sponsored editorial and broadcasting, sponsorships, events, and stakeholder/third party alliances.

Elections

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what promotional items were distributed as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the elections on 3 May 2007; how many of each item were (a) purchased and (b) distributed, and what the total cost was of (i) purchase and (ii) distribution of each item.

John Swinney: Please see the following table which details promotional items distributed, how many items were purchased, the cost of purchase and cost of distribution by the Scottish Executive:

  

Item
Number of Items
Number of Items Distributed
Purchase Cost
Distribution Cost


Pens
43,000
43,000
£28,516
0


Post-Its
33,000
33,000
£19,261
0


Earphones
10,000
10,000
£17,625
0



  The promotional items listed were only a small part of the marketing communications about the election. The VoteScotland campaign, which was funded jointly by the Electoral Commission, had a budget of £2 million. The full range of activities included advertising, marketing, media relations, PR, online, field marketing, sponsored editorial and broadcasting, sponsorships, events, and stakeholder/third-party alliances.

Employment

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take to support people who will lose their jobs as a result of the closure of Bath Press Ltd in Blantyre and to encourage other businesses into the area so that new, local employment opportunities can be created.

Jim Mather: Assistance to workers affected by the potential redundancy will be provided through our PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) framework. PACE presentations and one-to-one interviews with the affected workers will be provided during the 90 day consultation period. Following this, specific PACE assistance will be tailored to individuals’ needs and is likely to include: full Jobcentre Plus services; access to training; early access to Training for Work, and advice on alternative employment opportunities.

  The Scottish Executive, through Scottish Development International and its partners, including Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire, targets global decision makers in priority industries to highlight business opportunities and secure foreign direct investment into Scotland.

  In addition to this, Scottish Enterprise, together with the local authority, training agencies, the voluntary sector, Communities Scotland and other local partners, is making a significant contribution to the Lanarkshire economy by increasing employment and development opportunities. This includes providing support for regeneration projects such as the Ravenscraig Partnership, Gartcosh Business Interchange, Clyde Gateway and Fusion Assets and for initiatives such as Construction Lanarkshire and the Energy Technology Centre.

Fire Service

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that retained firefighters working in the public sector are allowed time off work to enable them to carry out their firefighting duties without penalty.

Fergus Ewing: The co-operation of primary employers, whether in the public or private sector, is essential to supporting the role of a retained firefighter. The government has no plans to prescribe how this is done, rather it will continue to fall to each Fire and Rescue Service to enter into dialogue with primary employers to encourage local agreements.

  It is already the case that, consistent with agreements made at the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire Brigades where responsibility for this matter lies, retained firefighters are protected with respect to any loss of earnings incurred as a result of responding to an emergency.

  Jim Smith, a retained firefighter and a large employer with experience of releasing staff for fire-fighting duties, has recently been appointed as an Assistant Inspector with Her Majesty’s Fire Inspectorate. Mr Smith’s role will revolve around drawing upon his experience to raise awareness amongst employers about the benefits of employing staff who are also retained firefighters.

Fisheries

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has carried out of the presence of the spurdog species in sea lochs.

Richard Lochhead: During 2005, Fisheries Research Services conducted surveys in the Loch Sunart and Loch Hourn areas as part of research into the use of inshore habitat by juvenile fish. Spurdog, in the weight range 12 to 20 kilograms, were found in quite large numbers in those areas.

Fisheries

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any threat to the spurdog species caused by overfishing, particularly in light of concerns that reproductive females, which are pregnant for nearly two years, are targeted by fisheries due to their large size.

Richard Lochhead: I am aware that scientific advice indicates that Spurdog, which is a slow developing species with low fecundity, can be vulnerable to over exploitation and recommends that there should be no targeted fishing.

Food

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to fund research and development of Sweet Gale and other non-food products in Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: Action, including research and development, to exploit the commercial potential of the oil produced from the Sweet Gale plant is being taken forward by a consortium led by Highland Natural Products Ltd and Alliance Boots. We have been working with representatives of the consortium to provide support and advice where possible.

  We also recognise the wider potential of non-food crops and we will be exploring over the coming months the options for furthering our knowledge through appropriate research and development.

Food Standards

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement a upper limit on artificially produced fats (trans-fats) in food, oils and fats used in the preparation of food in respect of Scottish, UK and imported foods and, if so, by what means it will implement such a limit.

Shona Robison: We will continue to be advised by the Food Standards Agency on this matter. I am advised that the agency is currently consulting on a draft saturated fat and energy programme, including the use of trans fatty acids.

Food Standards

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will liaise with the UK Government and food producers to achieve clearer labelling and kite markings of foods with a health benefit available for sale in Scotland.

Shona Robison: We will continue to be advised by the Food Standards Agency on this matter. I am advised that the agency has recently consulted both the food industry, consumer organisations and other government departments in relation to new rules on nutrition and health claims made on food. Regulations implementing these requirements for Scotland will be laid in Parliament shortly. The agency will continue to liaise with all parts of Government and other stakeholders such as industry in the respective countries of the UK in relation to food labelling and other relevant policy areas.

Further and Higher Education

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will raise the cap on student numbers in higher education.

Fiona Hyslop: There are no plans to increase the cap on student numbers in higher education in 2007-08.

Further and Higher Education

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the spend is per head of population on (a) higher and (b) further education in (i) the south of Scotland, (ii) Dumfries and Galloway and (iii) the Highlands and Islands.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Funding Council does not allocate funding by local authority. However, counting the numbers of full-time equivalent students domiciled in each of the relevant local authorities and multiplying by the average funding per student in the relevant sector the spending is as set out in the following table.

  Estimated Scottish Funding Council Teaching Funding Per Head of Population 2007-08

  

Area
Population
Total HE Spend Per Head of Population
Total FE Spend Per Head of Population


Dumfries and Galloway
148,030
£96.86
£53.08


South of Scotland
258,270
£96.73
£55.48


Highlands and Islands
283,310
£125.87
£56.07



  Source: Scottish Funding Council/GRO(S).

General Practitioners

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from GP practices in respect of the level of global sum funding.

Nicola Sturgeon: The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004 provide that any GP practice which has a contract with a health board for the provision of general medical services may refer any dispute where it cannot reach agreement with the health board to the Scottish ministers for resolution. Three cases have been received where the amount of the global sum was the subject of the dispute since 1 April 2004.

General Practitioners

Alasdair Allan (Western Isles) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any instances of GP practices citing the level of global sum funding as a reason for a practice being financially unsustainable.

Nicola Sturgeon: No. It is open to any practice which cannot come to an agreement with its health board about any aspect of its contract to refer the case to the Scottish ministers under the statutory dispute resolution procedure. In such cases concerning global sums as have been referred, the practices have not claimed that their financial sustainability is threatened.

Health

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there is no spinal assessment facility in Scotland for young people under the age of 14.

Shona Robison: Children under 12 with acute spinal injuries but no neurological damage are managed either in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, or the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill, Glasgow, with input from the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.

  Children under 12 with both acute spinal injuries and neurological damage are managed at Yorkhill, again with input from the National Spinal Injuries Unit.

  Children aged 12 or over with acute spinal injuries can be admitted to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit.

  In each of these cases, an assessment can be made of whether the children would benefit from referral to the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Buckinghamshire. The centre provides not only initial assessments but can also undertake annual reviews, depending on the child’s progress and clinical needs.

Health

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to open a paediatric spinal assessment facility or recruit specialist staff to the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.

Shona Robison: The Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit is able to assess and manage children aged 12 or over who are admitted with acute spinal injuries. It also offers support, through its liaison and outreach services, to all children in Scotland with spinal injuries.

  The evidence suggests that the number of children in Scotland with highly complex spinal injuries is so small that a Scottish equivalent of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville would not be viable.

Heritage

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to restore some of the historic titles and rights to Scotland’s royal burghs and other communities.

John Swinney: The Scottish Executive has no plans to change the legal status of the royal burghs. We do appreciate the continuation of the burgh charters - these provide much local satisfaction and pride by enabling many of the traditional and ceremonial roles that such burghs can carry out.

Higher Education

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the University of Glasgow continues to offer undergraduate courses at the Crichton Campus in Dumfries.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Funding Council is working with the Crichton partners and local stakeholders to develop an academic strategy for the Crichton Campus which will best meet the academic and economic needs of Dumfries and Galloway. The University of Glasgow is participating in the development of the academic strategy and has indicated that it remains open-minded with regard to its future participation at the campus.

  The Scottish Executive is an active member of the group working to produce the academic strategy. One of the areas the strategy will consider is undergraduate provision.

Higher Education

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what new or additional actions it plans to take to support the Crichton Campus in Dumfries.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Funding Council is working with the Crichton partners and local stakeholders to develop an academic strategy for the Crichton Campus which will best meet the academic and economic needs of Dumfries and Galloway. The Scottish Executive is an active member of the group working to produce the academic strategy. One of the areas the strategy will consider is undergraduate provision. The strategy, which is due to be completed in early summer, will inform the future actions necessary to achieve these aims.

Hospitals

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used in the decision that children younger than 14, as opposed to any other age, must be sent to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire for treatment of their spinal injuries.

Shona Robison: Since its designation as a national service in 1992, the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit has been able to admit children aged 12 years or over. This may be related to the move from primary to secondary education. It may also avoid any difficulties which might otherwise arise later if there were a need to make a transition from paediatric to adult services.

Hospitals

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of sending young people under 14 years to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment was in the last financial year, including the cost of flights, meals and accommodation, and how much it would have cost to provide specialist paediatric staff at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injury Unit at the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow.

Shona Robison: The clinical costs of such referrals in 2006-07 was £18,909. Information on the associated costs of travel, meals and accommodation is not available centrally, as it is the responsibility of the NHS board of residence of each child to fund these costs.

  The most recent review of the spinal injuries service in Scotland did not suggest any extension of its services to cover those currently provided by the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville. No estimate has therefore been made of the cost associated with employing the specialist staff who would be required.

Hospitals

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under 14 were sent to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 2005 from Scotland.

Shona Robison: Between 1 April 2005 and 31 March 2007, four Scottish children were seen at Stoke Mandeville. As there have been no new referrals of Scottish children to Stoke Mandeville since 1994, each of the four children concerned received a short-stay review of their rehabilitation care, rather than a full initial assessment, resulting in nine admissions in total from Scotland to the unit.

Hospitals

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what disruption it considers is caused to the families of children sent from Scotland to Stoke Mandeville Hospital for treatment.

Shona Robison: The Government is well aware of the difficulties families experience when a seriously ill or injured child is treated at a considerable distance from home. Everything possible is done to ensure that the disruption caused is kept to a minimum. An initial assessment at the National Spinal Injuries Centre can last up to eight weeks, but if annual reviews are arranged, these are for a much shorter period. As much of the child’s rehabilitation as possible should be provided locally.

  Children and their parents can also benefit from referral to the centre, particularly through peer support gained from the other children and their parents attending the centre.

Housing

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its current policy is on sellers’ surveys.

Stewart Maxwell: The public consultation on the draft regulations relating to the single survey and property sale questionnaire ended on 15 May 2007. Ministers will consider the way forward for these proposals in light of the responses received from the consultation.

Housing

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase the supply of affordable homes (a) for rent and (b) to buy in each local authority area in the South of Scotland region.

Stewart Maxwell: The budget set for the 2007-08 affordable housing investment programme in the South of Scotland region is set out in the following table.

  

Local Authority
Budget
(£ Million)
Unit Approvals for Rent
Unit Approvals Low Cost Home Ownership


Dumfries and Galloway
£ 12.767
195
nil


East Ayrshire
£ 11.533
100
nil


East Lothian
£ 5.600
42
18


North Ayrshire
£10.281
66
24


Scottish Borders
£ 7.200
71
18


South Ayrshire
£ 6.674
167
25


South Lanarkshire
£ 19.284
240
20



  Note: the figures for East Ayrshire, East Lothian, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire are for the whole local authority area including parts not in the South of Scotland region.

  Decisions on investment beyond 2008 will depend on the outcome of the spending review process later this year.

Housing

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of affordable housing.

Stewart Maxwell: Affordable housing is broadly defined in Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing as follows "Housing of reasonable quality that is affordable to people on modest incomes. In some places the market can provide some or all of the affordable housing that is needed, but in other places it is necessary to make housing available at a cost below market value, to meet an identified need."

  The main categories of affordable housing are set out in Planning Advice Note 74, available on the Executive’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/03/20796/54073.

  Affordability, in terms of the rents and prices paid by tenants and purchasers, varies from one location to another so should be determined in a way which takes account of incomes at the local level.

Housing

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the allocation of private sector housing grant to Shetland Islands Council.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG) allocation to Shetland Islands Council for 2007-08 is £938,000.

  There are currently no plans to increase the PSHG budget for the current year. Decisions on PSHG beyond 2007-08 will depend on the outcome of the Spending Review process later this year.

Housing

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to minimise bureaucracy for housing associations which are registered charities and wish to operate the Homestake scheme, given the current position of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

Fergus Ewing: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has raised the issue of charitable status and Homestake with Communities Scotland and we have agreed to meet to discuss this. We have advised all Registered Social Landlords (RSL) that we would be prepared to provide Homestake funding through a wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary of the RSL if any charitable RSL has concerns about the impact on its charitable status.

Housing

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to allow housing associations which are registered charities to operate the Homestake scheme.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  We have advised all Registered Social Landlords (RSL) that we would be prepared to provide Homestake funding through a wholly owned non-charitable subsidiary of the RSL if any charitable RSL has concerns about the impact on its charitable status. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has raised the issue of charitable status and Homestake with Communities Scotland and we have agreed to meet to discuss this.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce legislation to amend the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive has written to chief constables and other key interests to establish facts and evidence about how dangerous dogs legislation is applied in their areas, to seek views on what might be done to make enforcement more effective, and whether the legislation needs to be changed. Once the responses have been evaluated, ministers will consider what action may be taken.

Justice

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken, in co-operation with Her Majesty's Government, to ensure that organised criminal gangs from Bulgaria and Romania do not enter Scotland following the accession of those states to the European Union.

Kenny MacAskill: Our aim is to ensure that Scotland is an unattractive place for any organised crime gangs to do business. We have worked with the UK Government on a number of measures including a joint Scottish Executive and Home Office Action Plan on Human Trafficking. Law enforcement organisations across the UK work together using an intelligence led approach to identify emerging issues which are likely to impact on Scotland in the future, including the accession of new member states to the European Union. Where intelligence indicates that a threat from organised crime exists the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency in support of the Scottish police service takes action to deal with it.

Justice

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been provided to the police to detect and deter migrant criminals from entering Scotland following the enlargement of the European Union in 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: The police budget for 2007-08 is over £1 billion. Chief constables are responsible for planning the use of the resources available to them to deliver the full range of policing activities including dealing with the detection and deterrence of migrant criminals from other member states.

Justice

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce legislation on the statutory aggravation of hate crimes against disabled and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Kenny MacAskill: Yes. Legislation on this matter will be brought forward when a suitable opportunity arises.

Local Government

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of local government employees were aged (a) 16 to 24, (b) 25 to 34, (c) 35 to 44, (d) 45 to 54 and (e) 55 to 64 in each of the last five years and what the most up-to-date figures are.

John Swinney: The official source of data on the number of people employed in local government organisations is the Quarterly Public Sector Employment series. The following table 1 shows the number of people employed in local government organisations in each of the last five years.

  The Public Sector Employment data does not include information on the age of employees within local government. However, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) does provide estimates by age of employee although it does not correspond exactly to the official measure of local government employment. For illustrative purposes the following table 2 contains a breakdown of the proportion of people employed in local government in each age group for each of the last five years based on the LFS.

  Table 1 Total Employment in Local Government Organisations Including Police, Fire and Related Services

  

Quarterly
Total Local Government Including Police, Fire and Related Services


Q2 2002
301,300


Q2 2003
307,700


Q2 2004
315,500


Q2 2005
321,200


Q2 2006
323,300



  Source: Quarterly public sector employment in Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Data relates to Q2 (March) each year.

  2. Data are based on head counts.

  Table 2 Proportion of Local Government Employees Including Fire, Police and Related Services) by Age Group

  

Quarter
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64


Spring 2002
6.5%
16.6%
31.2%
31.8%
14.0%


Spring 2003
4.9%
17.2%
30.5%
32.2%
15.2%


Spring 2004
6.1%
16.5%
31.7%
28.3%
17.4%


Spring 2005
6.6%
18.5%
30.3%
28.6%
16.0%


Spring 2006
6.1%
17.3%
31.2%
27.6%
17.9%



  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Notes:

  1. Data relates to the spring quarter (March to May) each year.

  2. Data are based on head counts.

  3. Data are based on a sample survey and therefore are subject to a degree of error.

Marine Environment

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the UK Marine Bill in respect of devolution of nature conservation responsibilities out to the 200-mile limit.

Richard Lochhead: As I indicated to the Parliament previously, I am keen that the Parliament should have conservation powers for the marine environment from 12 to 200 nautical miles. I am aware of the Advisory Group on Marine and Coastal Strategy recommendation on this matter and, as I indicated in the answer to question S3W-126 on 5 June 2007, I am currently considering the Advisory Group report together with the related Environmental and Rural Development Committee report on the marine environment, and I will be responding to both sets of recommendations in due course.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage research and development in new and improved medicines while ensuring that drugs are reasonably priced.

Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. CSO does not normally commission research but supports research projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community.

  The Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) is a voluntary scheme between the UK Health Departments and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. The scheme controls the profits pharmaceutical companies make from sales of branded medicines in the NHS. Within the prices paid by the NHS there remain incentives for companies to develop new medicines and allowances for the cost of research and development. The scheme does not cover generic medicines nor the cost of branded medicines bought without a prescription. It is negotiated every five years; the current scheme runs until 2010.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to continue payment of the mental health specific grant and, if so, whether it is considering an increase.

Shona Robison: The Mental Health Specific Grant scheme will be considered along with all health spend during spending review 2007.

NHS Boards

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take more cognisance of skills mix, staffing levels and more productive models of care, as recommended in the Howat report.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering reducing the number of NHS boards, as recommended in the Howat report.

John Swinney: The Budget Review report will contribute to our strategic thinking around the spending review. It would be inappropriate to comment on the detail or pre-empt any commitment ahead of the Spending Review 2007.

NHS Hospitals

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in conjunction with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to establish a community casualty facility within the three towns area of Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston in North Ayrshire.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran is responsible for service change proposals and for maintaining high quality healthcare services for all residents of its area, within available resources. I have made clear that we will reverse the previous decision on accident and emergency services at Ayr Hospital, and I outlined in my statement to the Parliament on 6 June 2007 the steps needed to give effect to this commitment.

  As I said, our aim is to ensure that these steps are taken as quickly as possible, consistent with proper consideration and good decision making, and that other elements of service development proposed by the board also move ahead as quickly as possible. I am not aware of any current proposals by the board to establish a community casualty facility within the three towns area.

NHS Hospitals

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the budget of NHS Dumfries and Galloway will be affected by the decision to retain accident and emergency services at Ayr and Monklands hospitals.

Nicola Sturgeon: No.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any excessive charges for NHS services, other than excessive car parking charges at NHS hospitals, will be reduced and, if so, for which services charges will be reduced.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are reviewing guidance to health boards to ensure that charges for NHS services are not excessive.

NHS Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all patients receiving homeopathy treatment will have their treatment fully funded by the NHS.

Shona Robison: We recognise the benefits which homeopathic treatments may bring to some patients in terms of improved quality of life. Where patients and their clinicians consider that this would be an appropriate form of treatment and where it is to be provided as an NHS service then it should be made available free at the point of delivery.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for distinction awards paid to consultants in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The criteria for distinction awards paid to consultants in the NHS is set out in the Guide to the Consultants’ Distinction Awards Scheme in Scotland which is published annually by the Scottish Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (SACDA). The latest version of the guide for 2007 is available on the internet at the following website http://www.sacda.scot.nhs.uk .

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the allocation of discretionary points to consultants in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The criteria for the allocation of discretionary points to consultants is set out in the Annex to the Health Department’s letter of 12 January 2000. This is set as follows:

  1. Discretionary Points are not seniority payments, nor automatic annual increments.

  2. Consultants in all specialties and all types of post are equally eligible and should be treated as such.

  3. To warrant payment of a discretionary point, consultants will be expected to demonstrate an above average contribution in respect of one or more of service to patients, teaching, research, and the management and development of the service.

  4. Progression at each step up the discretionary points scale will reflect the continuing quality and range of the contribution made by the consultant. To attain the maximum of the discretionary point scale consultants will be expected to have demonstrated an outstanding contribution to services.

  5. The criteria for payment of discretionary points should allow for contributions made in the following areas to be taken into account:

  i. professional excellence, including.

  - quality of clinical care of patients.

  - service development.

  - professional leadership.

  - improvements in public health.

  ii. significant contribution towards the achievement of local NHS service priorities.

  iii. undertaking recognised significant heavy workload or responsibilities in pursuit of local NHS service goals.

  iv. contribution to professional and multidisciplinary team working.

  v. research, innovation and improvement in the service.

  vi. clinical audit.

  vii. administrative or NHS management contributions.

  viii teaching and training, including.

  - training of junior staff.

  - involvement in undergraduate or postgraduate teaching.

  - public education and health promotion.

  - contribution to training of other staff.

  ix. wider contribution to the work of the NHS nationally.

  6. The differing opportunities and normal expectations associated with consultants in different fields will need to be taken into account in assessing the level of performance required in individual cases. For example, there will be a different expectation in terms of research content of many honorary contract holders compared with consultants whose duties result in limited opportunities for research work. There would similarly be a different expectation in terms of the management and service development contribution of a consultant in public health medicine or dental public health compared with more clinically based specialties.

  7. The resources available to a consultant, including supporting staff and facilities, and any particular difficulties that he or she may have had to overcome, should also be taken into account in judging the service contribution expected and provided.

  8. In deciding payments employing bodies should ensure that consultants are treated equally regardless of their colour, race, sex, religion, politics, marital status, sexual orientation, membership or non-membership of trade unions or associations, ethnic origin, age or disability.

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its 18-week patient waiting time target will be maintained following the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s announcement on 29 May 2007 on availability status codes.

Nicola Sturgeon: Yes, I expect NHS boards to continue to deliver the current 18 week in-patient and day case treatment waiting times target, whilst ensuring that Availability Status Codes are abolished and new arrangements for measuring waiting times are introduced as quickly as possible and certainly by the end of this year.

  We will consult on proposals to introduce individual waiting time guarantees in due course.

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether audiology will be included in its patient waiting time target of 18 weeks.

Nicola Sturgeon: I will announce our plans for reducing waiting times in Scotland in the near future.

National Health Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent Scottish Consumer Council research, what action is being taken to ensure that all NHS boards develop a policy and strategy on how they handle public enquiries to the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have been asked to take action as a matter of urgency to address the issues raised in the Scottish Consumer Council Report and will be asked to provide regular updates to allow us to monitor progress towards the development of a policy and strategy in response to the report.

National Health Service

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the introduction of Agenda for Change in NHS Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The introduction of Agenda for Change in NHSScotland has been carried out in full partnership between the Health Department, NHSScotland employers, and the health trades unions. This process is currently on-going, and in light of that the Executive has no current plans for review.

Olympic Games

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a detailed study of the costs and benefits for Scotland of the London Olympics, including the impact on lottery funding for sports, charities and the arts.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Executive will commission research this summer to assess the likely economic costs and benefits of the 2012 games to Scotland. The study is not intended to address the impact of lottery funding for sports, charities and the arts.

  The previous Executive wrote to the UK Government asking that they look seriously at funding streams other than the national lottery to fund the additional cost of the 2012 Olympics. Having reviewed the position Scottish ministers would fully endorse this and will be working to vigorously pursue this.

  Each Scottish lottery distributing body has been asked to report on the impact on their organisation of the diversion of lottery funds for the games. I will consider this issue further once these reports have been received.

Olympic Games

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a taskforce to consider the feasibility of establishing a Scottish Olympics team.

Stewart Maxwell: I am committed to a meeting of Scotland’s sports stakeholders as soon as possible to discuss the prominence of sport in Scotland on the world stage. As part of this discussion, I will seek views from stakeholders on International Olympic Committee membership and a Scottish Olympics team. I will also agree a joint approach with stakeholders for taking these issues forward to ensure that Scotland is represented in as many sporting competitions as is practically possible.

Police

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that electroshock Taser weapons should only be used by specially trained, authorised firearms officers.

Kenny MacAskill: The deployment and use of Taser weapons is an operational matter for Chief Constables. These devices are used in accordance with policy and operational guidance prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. This provides that Tasers will only be issued to authorised firearms officers who have successfully completed an approved training course in the use of the device.

Police

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers have been deployed in relation to the Faslane 365 protests at HM Naval Base Clyde and whether alternative police cover was provided for communities from which these officers were drawn.

Kenny MacAskill: The organisation of police operations in Strathclyde, including the deployment of police officers to this operation from across the force, is a matter for the Chief Constable of Strathclyde.

Prescription Charges

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost would be of the immediate abolition of prescription charges for people (a) with chronic conditions, (b) with cancer and (c) in full-time education or training.

Shona Robison: The cost of abolition will depend on the definition that is applied to "chronic conditions", "cancer", and "full-time education or training". We are currently considering those definitions and will advise the parliament once decisions are taken.

Prescription Charges

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to abolish prescription charges.

Shona Robison: We have a manifesto commitment to phase out prescription charges and we are currently considering in detail how we work towards that goal.

Prison Service

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners have escaped or absconded from prison in each of the last five years for which figures are available, broken down by prison, and, of these, how man, remain at large.

Kenny MacAskill: The number of absconds and escapes for the period requested can be obtained from the Scottish Prison Service annual reports published at:

  http://www.sps.gov.uk/default.aspx?documentid=67e156ce-a4c9-49f5-a526-0dab421427f6.

  The number of prisoners still at large (18) is detailed in the following table:

  

Establishment
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007


Barlinnie
 
 
 
 
1


Open estate
 
1
3
3
10


Total
0
1
3
3
11

Rail Network

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding the re-opening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway line for passenger use.

Stewart Stevenson: : There have been no recent discussions with Network Rail regarding the re-opening of the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway line for passenger use.

Roads

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to upgrade the A96 from Aberdeen to Inverness.

Stewart Stevenson: There are currently proposals for over £30 million of programmed investments on the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness, including:

  The Fochabers to Mosstodloch Bypass

  Junction Improvements at Threapland

  Overtaking opportunities at Delnies.

  The Aberdeen to Inverness Multi-modal Transport Corridor Study, and the outcome of a design study for a dual carriageway improvement of the A96 between Inverness and Inverness Airport, will feed directly into the Strategic Transport Projects Review which will consider future investment priorities.

Roads

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent estimate has been made of the cost of dualling the A9.

Stewart Stevenson: A detailed cost estimate of dualling the A9 has still to be prepared.

Rural Affairs

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment will take into account the views from a wide range of rural interests including crofters, environmental groups, the voluntary sector, small businesses and social enterprises when developing policy for rural Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: Yes. The views of all who contribute to rural society are important in building a vibrant and sustainable rural economy.

Schools

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to raise outcomes in schools with unacceptable levels of educational attainment.

Fiona Hyslop: We are committed to working with education professionals to help every child, in every school, achieve their full potential.

Scottish Executive Staff

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of its employees were aged (a) 16 to 24, (b) 25 to 34, (c) 35 to 44, (d) 45 to 54 and (e) 55 to 64 in each of the last five years and what the most up-to-date figures are.

John Swinney: The information requested is provided in the following table and reflects the position at the end each year from 2002 to 2006. The most up-to-date figures available give the position at end April 2007.

  Number and Percentage of Permanent Staff in the Scottish Executive Core Departments by Age Group

  

As at
Age 16 to 24
Age 25 to 34
Age 35 to 44
Age 45 to 54
Age 55 to 64


Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%
Number
%


31-12-2002
346
8%
1,099
25%
1,288
29%
1,239
28%
433
10%


31-12-2003
280
6%
1,126
25%
1,373
30%
1,274
28%
509
11%


31-12-2004
234
5%
1,142
25%
1,402
30%
1,294
28%
552
12%


31-12-2005
188
4%
1,130
25%
1,391
30%
1,308
28%
584
13%


31-12-2006
139
3%
1,048
24%
1,358
31%
1,281
29%
594
13%


30-04-2007
122
3%
1,033
24%
1,346
31%
1,278
29%
596
14%

Scottish Rural Development Plan

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment to representations received from environmental and rural development groups in reaching decisions regarding the rate of voluntary modulation for the new Scottish Rural Development Plan.

Richard Lochhead: We place a high value on the input we receive from all our stakeholders regardless of their particular interests. That is why I and the Minister for the Environment have made clear our desire to meet with stakeholders as quickly as possible and to do so on a regular basis. As you know, one of my first actions when I was appointed Cabinet Secretary was to call a meeting of the Scotland Rural Development Programme Stakeholder Group to hear views on the content and funding of the programme. This group represents the full breadth of rural development interests. The feedback I received at that meeting was extremely encouraging and I hope will herald an era of mutual co-operation.

  As a government we shall continue to listen to our stakeholder groups and set in train a continuous dialogue which will work to benefit economic, social and environmental considerations across rural Scotland.

Sexual Health

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the provision of services to enable women to exercise the right to choose whether and how to control their own fertility, including access to safe termination services.

Shona Robison: Yes. Scotland’s National Sexual Health Strategy contains recommendations which aim to improve access to sexual health advice and services for the people of Scotland.

  The strategy contains a specific recommendation for lead clinicians within each NHS board to ensure women have access to appropriate termination of pregnancy services which are in line with the guidelines produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  In addition, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is currently developing sexual health standards which will contain specific standards around termination of pregnancy services, access to specialist sexual health services and access to long-acting reversible contraception.

Sport

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it endorses the Reaching Higher: Building on the Success of Sport 21 strategy and, if so, what plans it has to take the strategy forward.

Stewart Maxwell: The revised sport strategy, Reaching Higher, was developed in close partnership with the sporting sector and sets out an inclusive and pragmatic approach to developing the infrastructure of sport in Scotland.

  The Executive is fully committed to implementing Reaching Higher in full, working closely with key partners in sport. To support this, the Executive is currently developing plans to discuss implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes.

Teachers

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it estimates the cost of gaining the Chartered Teacher qualification has on discouraging teachers from commencing and continuing with the modules.

Fiona Hyslop: Progression on the six-point Chartered Teacher salary scale typically involves one-off costs of around £1,200 in return for an automatic increase of between £774 and £1,436 per annum in pensionable salary - overall £7,161 above the top of the unprompted teachers’ scale. While no comprehensive survey has been conducted into the relative impact of cost or other factors in relation to uptake, Audit Scotland (2006) found that 74% of recently qualified teachers said they were likely to participate in the scheme.

  Cost issues will be considered as part of the current review of the Chartered Teacher project.

Transport

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress Transport Scotland has made in developing a combined footpath and cycleway linking Torlundy and Fort William and whether this development will be in place in advance of the World Mountain Bike Championships in September 2007.

Stewart Stevenson: Invitations to tender were issued by Transport Scotland on 1 June 2007. Subject to agreements being concluded on the necessary land acquisitions, the contract is expected to be awarded by the end of June with a view to completing the works prior to the start of the Mountain Bike Championships on 3 September 2007.

Voluntary Sector

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to promote and develop the voluntary sector.

John Swinney: We recognise that volunteers, voluntary organisations and social enterprises have a major contribution to make across our five strategic objectives and we will work closely with the sector to enhance the lives of individuals and communities across Scotland.

Voluntary Sector

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to meet representatives of the voluntary sector to discuss its future role in policy making and service delivery and the implications of the change of ministerial remit for the voluntary sector from Communities to Finance and Sustainable Growth.

John Swinney: We recognise that volunteers, voluntary organisations and social enterprises have a major contribution to make across our five strategic objectives and we will work closely with the sector to enhance the lives of individuals and communities across Scotland.

  I am in the process of meeting a wide range of stakeholders of which the third sector is a key one.

Wildlife

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to legislate to ban the use of snares.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Executive recently carried out a public consultation exercise on whether or not snaring should be banned in Scotland. Analysis of the responses is currently underway and I expect to make an announcement to Parliament after summer recess.

  The non-confidential responses can be viewed on the Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/Recent/Q/Page/4.